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Traffic Studied Using Computer-Linked Cars
mprindle writes "Yahoo News has an AP article about a system that links individual cars to analyze traffic patterns, which allows the drivers to avoid traffic jams and accidents. This system is part of the 'smart highway' initiatives. The data from the car is sent to a central server and from that data traffic patterns in a 40 mile radius. According to the article this technology is less expensive than using poll mounted antennas or ground sensors."
If EVERYONE has a computer in their car to help them avoid traffic jams, then it would be absolutely pointless. The traffic would become more widely distributed, sure, but it'd shift away from highways that are designed to hold traffic, and into residential areas that aren't. You're going to have traffic somewhere, so whether it's on the highway or on another road is immaterial. Thus, these computers are pointless for anything more than data-gathering.
What you just described is optimal utilization of all available routes. That means no traffic jams at all, anywhere (unless there just is no more capacity anywhere at all, in which case you have gridlock).
I'd say that's four steps, with turn signals and not cutting people off being separate. However I guess they really could be lumped into one group of "learn how to use lanes" which I think is my biggest pet peeve. I guess this rant is more directed at freeway traffic, so stop signs and lights aren't that big of an issue.
The major points are:
-Find a lane and stick with it. Weaving in and out of lanes to get a car ahead almost never actually moves you ahead in traffic, and is a big part of why there is congestion in the first place. The major exception is in using the left, or passing lane. Use it when the person in front of you is going slower than what you are comfortable with. Get out of it when someone is coming up on your tail.
-Get into the lane you need to be in as soon as is reasonably safe. Don't swerve over four lanes of traffic to barely make your exit. It's annoying, dangerous, stressful and just plain dumb.
-Learn how to merge and switch lanes: if one car goes at a time from each lane/ramp merging, traffic fits together like a zipper and can move smoothly. If people keep nosing in, traffic comes to a halt and accidents ensue. Using a turn signal and actually looking is a definate prerequisite. And if someone wants to merge into the opening in front of you (You do have a big enough gap, right? more on this later) let them. There's a good chance that they'll be switching over to the next lane or exit soon anyways.
Notes to traffic engineers (I bet there's a couple of slashdot):
-Left lanes are PASSING LANES. They are NOT on/off ramps. That's what the right lane is for. If there isn't enough room to fit the ramp on the right, maybe a ramp isn't needed there.
-Merging traffic needs time to actually merge. Two or three car lengths is NOT enough space to effectively merge into.
Notes on tailgating:
-Stop it already. Creeping up on the person in front of you will not get them to go any faster. I repeat, it will not get them to go any faster. I see the person being tailgated slow down more often than speed up or get out of the way. Tailgating also actually gets you through SLOWER than not tailgating. If the person in front of you makes a minor speed adjustment, you need time to compensate. If you are tailgating, a minor slowdown on a curve or from being cut of means you end up stomping on the breaks. That means the person behind you has to step on the breaks harder... eventually someone can't stop in time. You aren't getting yourself where you want to go any faster, you're just tying up traffic, being a hazard, and stressing yourself out.
-If you are the one being tailgated, ask yourself, are you in the passing lane? If yes, get out of the way. I'd rather have that asshole in front of me where I can see him and react (Because I leave enough room that I KNOW I can react) than behind me where I have no control over the situation and what he'll do. Chances are he'll end up passing you on the right and cutting you off anyways.
And wherever you are: give right of way to emergency vehicles. It should be common sense and common decency, but it doesn't seem to be a common act. If the lights and siren are going, that means there is AN EMERGENCY
But, I guess I really didn't say much new from what you said, just kinda expounded on basically the same things.
I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman